Royal Palace of Madrid

The royal Palace in the city of Madrid is the official residence for the Emperors of Spain. The palace is one of the main attractions in the city and it is Western Europe’s largest palace that covers an area of 135,000 square meters with 2800 rooms.

The palace was built in between the years 1738-1755 on the site of an old castle belonging to the 16th century. The castle was burnt by Emperor Philip V and he commissioned a new palace to be built on the same site.

Today, the Royal Palace is one of the major tourist spots in the city. The palace features a collection of weapons and Royal Armoury belonging to the 13th century. It also features the Stradivarius which is the only complete string quintet in the world. In addition the collection includes several objects made of wood and porcelain.

The other attractions in the palace are the Teatro Real Opera House located to the east of the palace, Plaza de la Armas square to the south, and Sabatini Gardens located to the north.

The palace is open to the public on all the days of the week and is closed when there are state meetings and government receptions.